Is Love Meant To Be This Way?
by Sabser
Summary: No one ever told her that if you loved someone, you were supposed to keep it a secret from your best friends. No one told her that you were supposed to come second to a job. Was this the way love was supposed to be? Sandle.


Hello there! This is a story dedicated to the Sandle fans on TalkCSI, especially Kate (Ziva David) for asking a question which made me think up the plot for this fanfic.

Disclaimer: Of course I own CSI! That's why I know what happens before the episode airs! I don't read spoilers…sheepish grin

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Love. In a sense, it was a foolish word. People always told Sara Sidle that if you loved someone, you'd be able to talk with them, trust them fully, not to have to feel any discomfort or worries. No-one ever told her that if you loved someone, you were supposed to keep it a secret from your best friends. No-one told her that you were supposed to come second to a job. No-one told her she had to fall in love with Gil Grissom, but she had. She'd done all of those things. And…it made her feel strange. Was this the way love was supposed to be? Shuffling the file in her hand, Sara continued strolling through the halls of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Sure, she loved Grissom, he meant more to her than anything in the world, but she was absolutely certain that she could never be Grissom's top priority. The most important thing to Grissom was his job, no questions asked. But, if that's what had to be sacrificed to be with Grissom then so be it. Turning the handle of the door, Sara strode into the trace lab, dropping some evidence off next to Hodges.

"Run this for me, would ya?" Sara asked, drumming her fingers on one of the tables.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Hodges replied, staring through the glass walls at Mia in the DNA lab.

Sara rolled her eyes, leaving Hodges to drool over his, as he put it, 'soon-to-be-girlfriend'. Retracing her steps, Sara headed to Grissom's office, where he was inside doing paperwork, a task which he had been slaving over the past few days.

Shutting the door behind her, Sara sat down in the chair across from Grissom, giving him a smile, which he returned, his smile lasting just over a second. Clasping her hands together, Sara placed them in her lap, leaned back in the chair and gave a satisfied sigh. Grissom looked up.

"Something you wanted, honey?" he asked, not putting his pen down and occasionally glancing at his paperwork. It seemed as through Grissom worked too much and eventually became addicted. Even when concentrating on something else, the thought of his job still lingered in his mind. Sara sighed again.

"When are we gonna do something together? I mean, we haven't been out together for the longest time, Gil." Sara stood from the chair and leaned against the frame of the door. Grissom placed his pen behind his ear, standing and moving over to where Sara stood. Giving her a kiss on the forehead, much like a father to his daughter, Grissom smiled, but the gladness in his grin wasn't evident in those piercing blue eyes.

"Tell you what, how about tomorrow we go to The Four Aces. I'm sure we'll find something to do."

This was their usual date. Another day, another body, another day spent with Grissom in the bed of a hotel room. Sara always wished they could go out to eat at an elegant restaurant together, but Grissom always managed to persuade her to have a little fun in a bed that didn't belong to either of them. Sara always wondered if Grissom was scared of people seeing them together. Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, Sara just smiled. "Tomorrow will be great." Sara answered. That was when she heard it. A small gasp and some papers shuffling on the other side of the door. Grasping the door handle and pulling it open quickly, Sara just managed to get a glimpse of a figure with short, curly, bleached blonde hair, before they disappeared into the locker room.

"What was that?" Grissom asked, peering out into the hallway.

"I think you should be saying who. That was Greg," Sara cast her eyes in the direction of the locker room, hoping to see him step out acting like nothing happened. Instead, the door remained closed. "Grissom, I'm gonna go explain this to him."

Before Sara could follow Greg, Grissom grabbed her arm "Sara, leave him. I mean, he has to get used to this. Think about it, now he knows we're together, he'll stop flirting with you in that annoying way."

Sara stared at Grissom for a while. This was her best friend he was talking about. What right did he have to forbid her to talk things through with him? Was love meant to be this way? Giving him a glare, Sara pulled her arm away and rushed into the locker room.

Rows and rows of blue metal lockers, but no Greg. Heading outside, Sara noticed his car exit the lab's parking lot. Sara hurried to her vehicle, keeping an eye on Greg's, which was slowly rounding the corner. Forcing her key into the ignition, she started the car and followed Greg until he stopped. The lights of the strip were far behind them, making the surrounding area almost pitch black. The only light source seemed to be the moon up ahead. By now, Greg had gotten out of his car, and was advancing up a hill. Quietly slamming her car door shut, Sara followed him, keeping a short distance behind so he didn't hear or spot her. All was going according to plan, until Sara managed to trip over a rock that was in her path, letting out a small cry as she fell to the ground, luckily landing in a pile of dry leaves. Hearing this, Greg turned his head, spotting the figure on the ground. Hurrying over, he knelt down and helped this unlucky individual.

"Are you alri-Sara?" Greg's face turned to shock as the moonlight lit up Sara's feature's, revealing her identity to him.

"Uh…hi?" Sara smiled sheepishly. Greg looked down, hurt.

"Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend?" he mumbled, picturing Sara and Grissom in his mind.

"He didn't want me to see you, told me you should get used to this…Bah, like I was gonna listen to that!" Sara replied, brushing a free strand of dark hair behind her ear. Greg smiled a little, sighing, before holding out his hand.

"Come on, I expect you wanna get out of those leaves." Grabbing his hand, Sara felt her fingertips tingle as he pulled her up.

"_When you love someone, you feel as though electricity is running through your body at one small touch…' _

Shaking the thought from her head, Sara let go of Greg's hand, the tingle's slowly fading away. The walked side by side up the hill until Greg stopped at a small ridge. Sara watched as he sat down in the long grass, staring up into the sky. Following his gaze, Sara noticed that they could clearly see the moon and thousand of little white stars. It was a breathtaking feeling, to escape from the fake light of Vegas for once. Out here, it was so…natural. Sighing, she sat down next to him, her hands just behind her, supporting her as she leaned back, gazing up at the wonder that was the night. Even though they worked the graveyard shift, Sara hadn't seen the night this way for a long time. It was hidden by an artificial night of colour and excitement, casinos and endless evenings spent wasting, and only on occasion, winning cash to spend in more casinos.

"When did you find this place, Greg?" Sara asked, brushing her fingers through the soft grass.

"The day I was released from hospital after the explosion in the lab," Greg kept his eyes on the moon, almost as if it had him in a trance. "I just…drove…and I kept driving until I saw this hill. So I stopped, and went up said hill. And when I saw this…it just made me remember how lucky I am. I mean, if I'd have died, I wouldn't have been able to find this…I wouldn't have the life I have now. I'd be remembered as Greg Sanders: The crazy DNA guy...I'm glad I've lived through it…I'm glad I lived through everything…including the beating."

"Greg, that shouldn't have happened…" Sara murmured, frowning, her eyes sad. Greg didn't answer but his eyes left the moon, and landed on Sara.

"I may not have lost my life, but I've lost something else," Sara lowered her eyes, ashamed that he had found out about her relationship with Grissom in such a short span of time. It had been thrown at him, and he was just supposed to accept it and move on? Grissom seemed to think so. Greg let out a little laugh, but it had no humour or happiness in it. "It's kinda funny. I always thought I'd have a chance, you know, that I'd always be able to persuade you to give it a try..." Greg trailed off, feeling he'd said enough. He didn't want any pity.

Right then and there, Sara's mind flooded with memories of her relationship with Grissom during the past seven years. Most of it was spent ignoring or refusing her invitations to dinner. It had taken him longer than six years to come to terms with his feelings. Six years waiting when she could have had…Greg…all along. Her relationship with him was very different to hers and Grissom's yet similar in one way. Whilst Sara craved attention from Grissom, Greg was the one craving attention from_ her_. He made her laugh, he cheered her up when she was down, he…he made her feel loved. And for seven years she had stomped on his heart, letting him down and making him regret his feelings. Maybe it was time for a change. A change from the man who wasted time to the man who cared deeply for her.

"Do you still wanna give it a try?" Sara asked, watching the surprise grow in Greg's eyes.

"But…w-what about Grissom?" Greg questioned his heart racing at the speed of light. Sara smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I need a change." Sara said, sliding her hand to Greg's neck and pulling him towards her. Their lips met, their eyes fluttered closed, and they missed the shooting star crossing the sky. But it didn't matter, because neither of them needed to wish for love anymore. They'd found it that very night.

Was this the way love is supposed to be?

Of course it is.

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Good? Not Good? Well, why don't you review and tell me? I have a sequel in then making, another oneshot called '**Treasure Hunt'**, so watch out for that! Thanks for reading!


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